Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Some of you might remember some of my band rants...in a nutshell the 4 original members (me, guitard 1, singer monkey, drummer monkey) have gone in on about $5k of equipment. The singer basically invited guitard 2 into the band without consulting guitard 1 or myself in the fall...with the fiscal obligation it was hard to just say "beat it" to the new guy, as he does play well. Basically turned the band into a bad marriage.

Well, the singer and I have had issues outside the band, and he has tried to get gigs...but not very succesfully. He's single-handedly stopped us from doing paying gigs, says "I don't want to play there" then talks to the bar in question trying to arrange a gig. Then when I complain "wtf? I thought you said you didn't want to play there?" I get branded the malcontent.

well, I am a malcontent, I guess, if that means I'm not happy with the situation.

The other night I was getting together with guitard 1 (we're good friends, hoping to start a side project w/out these jerks), and suddenly everyone else thinks we need a rehearsal. We've added about a dozen new tunes that we were supposed to debut at a gig that fell through (I suspect it never really was set although singer boy told us for a month it was)...guitard 1 was READY for the gig. It was clear no one else was in the rehearsal. Probably good that we didn't embarass ourselves...

Singer comes with a CD with another dozen and a half songs. I know some, can figure out the ones I don't know of the fly, we're trying to learn some. One is "Life in the Fast Lane". Guitard 2, billed as Eddie Van Halen's equal by singer monkey, is butchering the line. Guitard 1 admits he doesn't know the riff, but 2 is close...G1 say "just go for it Dave". But it just degenerate into a loud melee...

So I've said for a while f-it to doing any work. So what do I do? I learn the riff correctly, in a couple of positions, and score it out in Lilypond in regular notation and tab so these idiots can see the rhythm exactly, and have a couple choices of fingerings. What am I? Their arranger?

It'll be interesting if guitard 2 actually agrees with me...and learns it as I scored it out. I know I'm correct with the notes, but my guitar sense has faded after a couple years on bass exclusively...2 does have an attitude that his **** doesn't stink.

I guess the idea between G1 and me is to just use this to make a little money, but that's getting harder to justify since we haven't had a gig (free or otherwise) since New Years Eve. I take pride in my music, so I guess that's why I'll go through the trouble of helping these guys, but I feel like a freaking idiot doing so.

Maybe if they'd listen to me once in a while and I felt any respect from the 3 monkeys I wouldn't feel this way. But then again, I don't want to see us go out and play a classic tune like this less than half-a$$ed...

I once went into a "partnership" with another sound engineer. I had a rig and so did he. So we pooled the gear and had a BIG rig between us. Next thing I know he has sold my stuff to finance the upgrading of his stuff. Needless to say the "partnership" didn't last long.

If we need something for the band that I work with now, either the band buy it (and it belongs to the band), or I buy it (and it is mine, full stop!).

It is like when you first get married and the new wife says "What is yours is ours and what is mine is mine!".

Sometimes getting out of a sucky band feels really good ...

and remember good bass players are always in demand ...

I am currently sort of between bands ... I go on auditions ... I play good ... I get an offer to join ... and I usually turn it down ... I am getting fussy ... I see the potential problems and I bail before it gets ugly ... I am still looking to join that good band ...

Its getting very hard to find good musicians out there . At least where i live . They is every hack band out there working the same rooms taking my money.I for one cant just jam with anyone . I demand good players around me . A band is only as good as its weakest link . Its good to be fussy about who you play with . It works out better for you in the end .

Big Al Z's Band Rules:

1. No ****** players

2. No members who just sing.

3. No Yokos.

4. No marrieds with kids unless the spouse is into it.

5. No pooled money, no pooled equipment. If one member doesn't own a PA outright then rent one for each gig especially if you don't play that much. Most places around here have a PA as part of the room.

What the heck did you spend $5K on as a group?

Get out Ed.

Life is to short to waste your valuable time on a dead end gig. Take guitar 1 with you.

Well...
A friend of mine told me this story. Their guitarist left the band due to domestic problems and they had to search for a replacement. The first "applicant" was a really talented guy, he was just brilliant, but! he wanted to do everything his own way and never listened to others. When his potential bandmates challenged him about it, he replied that he's been taught music, he knew everything about it so - "i speak, you listen". Another one was simply good, nothing spectacular, but he was very sociable, and the audition turned into friendly chat in the end. So they opted for "trial period" for the guy #2, and guess what? In two months, the guy whose skills were a little above average, made huge progress. He always listened carefully to what the others said, and he was learning. So he became a "part of the game" very quickly.
BTW, Ed... is your singer the only guy in the band who can sing?!

These are horror stories. Peter L--reading your post made my blood boil.

Big Al--I like your rule #3--women in bags have no place at either gigs or record dates.

Oops... when i read your comment, Paul, i've had that picture in my head - of John L. carrying a bag with Yoko...
Or should i say "a bag of Yoko"?.. oops... sorry, just kiddin'...

Paul,

Women in the sack after a gig, though, is perfectly fine.

We needed to add a second guitar, so we did the audacious, er audition thing. Some were dreadful, some were fair, but the guy we chose did his homework. Went to our website, went to Amoeba Records in Hollywood, bought our CD, and learned the stuff!
I actually had to watch his hands during the audition on some of our older tunes I'd forgotten. Even figured out some of my tricky chords (not all, heh heh!).
He likes his day job, so has no problems if we don't gig for a couple months (we get lazy sometimes). I told him I didn't like his amp, would he mind using one of mine?, no prob.
Lucked out with an easy going, talented guy.
Now the problem is our drummer wants to play guitar (not in the band though). But he's less keen to drum.
Any drummers in the so cal area????

My take is this: if it isn't fun, find some guys who it is fun to play with. As the others have said, life is too short & good bass players (with a good attitude) are in demand.
The money angle put into gear certainly complicates things, but is it worthwhile continuing the way it is now?

In my band it's always our drummer (50% owner of the PA gear) who takes the heat for being "the bad guy", though he's really very easy going.
These egocentric types always blame someone else for their mis-steps, & sooner or later everyone realizes what shmucks they really are, so don't worry about their opinions, do what's right for you.

There's a guy in my small town who acts just like your singer, & no one wants to play in his bands anymore because of his childish attitude. You can get away with that behaviour in a city for a while, but it eventually catches up. Much faster in a small town.
It's stupid anywhere!
Oh, the best players aren't always the best people!